


Circus Freaks

by Falsopher



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King, Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Corrupted Losers Club, F/M, Gay Will Byers, IT!Losers Club, M/M, Pennywise as clown dad, Richie Tozier and Mike Wheeler Are Cousins, Robin joins the gang!!, Will has a big crush on Mike but it's unrequited, based on a comic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-14
Packaged: 2020-11-28 01:24:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20958134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Falsopher/pseuds/Falsopher
Summary: Richie was all alone.  His friends had all been taken by some twisted motherfucker and Richie spends every second of his spare time looking for his friends.  The last place he would think to look was the sewers, but you'd be surprised.Meanwhile, El wakes up from a terrifying nightmare, but writes it off.  It's summer and she's supposed to be enjoying her time with the Party.  That is, until Dustin invites the Party to the circus in town.





	1. Something's Not Right

**Author's Note:**

> WOAH FIRST FIC IN STRANGER THINGS AND THE IT FANDOM!!!
> 
> This fic is based on a new comic by 013vargasart on tumblr!! I highly suggest checking out their blog!!!!

Turning down the path towards the Barrens and weaving past the bushes, Richie stumbled down the small hill that lead to the Losers’ hangout. Or at least, it was before all his friends went missing like Betty did, but even then it didn’t terrify Richie that kids were going missing in town. Richie didn’t have anything to actually be afraid of before his friends went missing, why would he? His parents cared about his safety above all else and Richie had the best friends in the whole fucking world.

The fear began to hit when Bill and his little brother, Georgie, seemingly vanished into thin air. The police labeled them runaways, which Richie knew was bullshit because Bill would’ve asked to stay at Richie or Stan’s house, not just completely up and leave. Derry’s small town news outlets were being fed this sob story by Bill’s parents about how their eldest kidnapped their precious ray of sunshine.

Bill’s parents only ever spoke about having Georgie being returned, like Bill was some forgotten article of clothing covered in mothballs in the back of the closet. The Losers were having none of this, so they took off to the Barrens to look in the Clubhouse, but nothing.

Then Mike and Ben went missing.

While they didn’t go missing at the exact same time, the two Losers were last seen with Bowers and his loyal followers that got off on hurting children for some sadistic reason. 

Mike had been seen being shoved against a wall behind the butcher shop by Patrick Hocksetter, but the stupid adults didn’t give a shit and just kept fucking walking. Mike hasn’t been seen since. Ben was seen being followed by the shitty car Bowers owned while making his way down Neibolt street.

Beverly was next to vanish. Bev didn’t come to school after the weekend and Eddie started panicking, which only got Stan panicking and Richie was left to be the voice of reason (which was a horrible idea of its own). So after school they biked up to Bev’s house and knocked on her apartment door with no answer and the fear had really set in when Stan tried the door knob and the front door swung open.

They found Beverly’s dad in a pool of blood and no sign of Beverly.

Eddie went missing next when he was on a hospital trip with his mom, and Richie really didn’t want to have him go alone with all of his friends

_(eddie my love)_

fucking disappearing. Eddie didn’t come back and Richie was ready to take him and Stan down the warpath.

Stan was the last to go. He didn’t show up for school and Richie just about lost it then and there. 

Richie biked home and was met with his mother asking why he was out of school when Richie crashed into her arms and sobbed that all the Losers had just vanished. They were fucking gone.

As Richie made his way down the rocky shore of the Kenduskeag, an eerie sense of dread washed over him and hung over his head like a dark, ominous cloud, causing Richie’s skin to break out into goose-flesh despite the warm summer day. Picking up a fairly large stick from the ground, Richie marched forward with determination only to stop abruptly in front of the large mouth to the Derry sewer system.

Clicking his tongue, Richie smiled softly to himself as he thought of the shit Eddie would give him for walking right into the sewers, Richie marched forward into the cave of shitty water.

The sunlight quickly faded from Richie’s vision as the sewers seemed to swallow him, the echoing drips of shitty water

_(greywater)_

and the splashes Richie made with his own feet as he trudged forward. It smelled like ass in here, like the time Henry Bowers took a fat shit on his backpack, which was not a pleasant experience to say the least.

“Shut the fuck up, dickwad. Stop complaining and just look for your friends.” Richie muttered to himself, his voice bouncing off the walls in an eerie fashion that sent shivers down Richie’s spine. Something felt off about this place

_(turn back turn back not safe not safe)_

only Richie couldn’t figure out why. That happened sometimes, where he would get the feeling something was going to happen before it would come to play or he knew something about some random person that wouldn’t otherwise be known to the general public. It was a weird thing Richie generally kept to himself and his parents.

Reaching to his hip, Richie unclipped a flashlight from his belt loop

_(richie go back he’s going to get you)_

and clicked it on, a bright beam illuminating the murky sewer waters and the mountains of trash that the people of Derry throw down here. Licking his lips, Richie turned left and was immediately confused when he only saw that the tunnel lead straight forward. Richie furrowed his eyebrows and clutched the flashlight with his sweaty palms

_(don’t go richie danger-)_

“Richie!” 

Richie shrieked and stumbled backwards, tripping on something under the water and falling straight into the shit filled

_(go back go back)_

water, droplets covering his lenses.

“Fuck me!” Richie hissed, yanking himself back up by the thin pipes hanging from the brick walls and shone the flashlight straight ahead. “You’re hearing voices, dipshit. Probably just some rats or some sh-” 

“Richie!” 

His head snapped up in attention, a small whimper of fear escaping his lips as Richie frantically waved his flashlight around the tunnel. Richie couldn’t see a fucking thing, but he could swear he wasn’t the only one in this goddamn sewer

_(richie look he’s there)_

and nearly fainted when he saw the outline of a small human figure at the end of the tunnel.

“Richie!” 

The voice was sharp and was followed by a fluttery giggle, causing Richie’s stomach to twist into knots as his mind registered the voice.

“Eddie! Eddie, is that you?” 

The figure didn’t respond to Richie’s question. He was only met with a giggle resounding off the echoing chambers and turned to run down the tunnel and out of Richie’s field of vision. That couldn’t be Eddie, he wouldn’t be caught dead anywhere near this fucking place, let alone splashing through it like it was a shit water pool party. But Richie couldn’t be certain, 

_(don’t you won’t be able to go back)_

so he began to run after the figure, the water splashing up in legs and soaking through his shorts.

“Eddie! Where the fuck are you going? Stop!” Richie cried desperately, panting heavily as Richie passed through the only exit which lay at the end of the tunnel. Richie’s pace slowed as he stepped into the huge fucking cavern that was supposed to be under Derry, what the fuck was going on?

“Richie! Over here!” 

Richie bit his lip and his eyes darted around the room, trying to find the figure as his flashlight offered very little visual in this large fucking cave. Richie went to step forward but hesitated as his foot didn’t find the floor, only more water and that would mean he had to swim, which he was not fucking doing no matter what.

“Richie!” 

In the middle of the cavern, there was a little platform with a large mountain of garbage piled sky-high and Richie’s eyes fixed on the figure.

It was Eddie!

“Hey, Eds! What the fuck are you doing down here?” Richie called, ignoring the warning sirens blaring in his brain as Richie let his flashlight fall from his grip and began to swim towards Eddie. The grin on Richie’s face was stretched so wide that it hurt his face, but he really couldn’t give less of a shit now that he had found one of his friends, so that probably meant the others were nearby.

_(Who are you kidding, Richie. Eddie is the most important because you want to pin him to the wall and-)_

Finally reaching the platform, pushing himself up and bringing his gangly limbs up onto the platform, rolling onto his back and panting heavily. Richie’s head lolled to the side and he went to grin up at his best friend, but that grin fell from his face as soon as Richie got a proper look at Eddie.

“Eds, what the fuck are you wearing? You look like some circus freak.” Richie said, Eddie smiling widely at his friend and wandering over to Richie’s side before plopping down beside Richie. Eddie was clad in this stupid fucking clown outfit with puffed white shorts, black stockings and these little red flats. His torso was covered in this weird ensemble of a grey long sleeve shirt and puffy sleeves, the collar turned up and three large red pompoms lining it.

“What took you so long, silly? We were all waiting for you!” Eddie said, giggling and tapping Richie on the nose, which scrunched up at the contact. “We couldn’t have fun without you! I missed you so much! I’m so happy I could kiss you!” 

Richie spluttered as Eddie did, in fact, kiss him, only to pull away after the sloppy lip lock and smile even wider than Richie thought humanly possible. Richie wasn’t going to lie to himself, he enjoyed that kiss as sloppy and unnatural it was, but Richie would rather kiss Eddie when he wasn’t staring at him with that creepy fucking smile.

“E-Eds, what the fuck? Are you being held hostage right now? What am I saying, of fucking course you are.” Richie rambled, Eddie tilted his head to the side and blinked vacantly at him as if having no idea how fucked up the situation was.

“Richie, you’re so funny!” Eddie giggled, covering his mouth like a shy school girl. “Come with me, and you can float and be apart of the family! We’re all waiting for you!” 

Richie felt the blood drain from his face and pushed himself up from the ground, slowly crawling back to make an escape. Whatever happened, this wasn’t Eddie. This wasn’t the kid who carried around those stupid fanny packs and rambled about anything and screamed at how Richie wasn’t funny. This was fucking insane.

Eddie lunged forward and pounced onto Richie, knocking the lanky boy back to the wooden platform with a thump. “You can’t leave! You can’t leave me Richie! We’re best friends, aren’t we? Please don’t leave me!” 

Richie’s words caught in his throat as he saw the tears brimming in Eddie’s eyes, which were an unsettling yellow instead of the warm brown Richie grew to know and love. Richie swallowed a thick lump in his throat and slowly shook his head. 

Eddie’s entire face lit up and he was back to smiling. “I knew you wouldn’t! Okay, now I have to show you something! Buuuuut, you have to close your eyes! It’s a surprise!” 

Everything in Richie’s gut told him not to, but felt himself nodding and closed his eyes, trusting this weird, wrapped version of Eddie. Richie felt himself be scooped up in Eddie’s arms and a jolt of something unfamiliar

_(you can’t go back now, richie)_

_(you’re going to float float float)_

and completely wrong in every sense of the word. Richie felt his eyelids flutter and got a brief glimpse of some light, but was immediately obscured by Eddie’s hand planted over his glasses, giggling softly.  
“No peeking, silly! I told you, it’s a surprise!” 

Fear bubbled up into Richie’s stomach and he felt his entire body tense under the touch, which was something that never happened with Eddie. Richie would always melt into any sort of contact Eddie offered, even if that little voice inside of Richie’s brain told him not to because everyone would find out his secret, it was ignored.

But this? This was not Eddie, and Richie was scared.

After what seemed like a few seconds, Eddie’s hand lifted from Richie’s vision and moved to put the lanky boy down on his feet. Eddie’s painted face was grinning widely and was illuminated by a strange, orange glow.

“Eds… where the fuck are we?” Richie asked, voice shaky as he curled away from his friend in fear of the situation. Richie’s head was pounding with fear that it gave him the worst headache, everything about this was wrong.

“Richie, we’re home!” Eddie cried, clapping his hands together and seizing Richie by the shoulders and into a bone crushing hug. Richie’s arms hung at his sides, the warm light seemingly drawing Richie’s eyes to it even as his mind screamed at Richie not to.

“Eddie! You brought him!” 

Eddie jumped back from the embrace and Richie startled at the familiar voice of Beverly. Richie turned towards where Eddie was looking and was astounded to find all of his friends there in the same fucking carnival getups and clown makeup. 

“No! Fuck no!” Richie screamed, backing up towards the wall in a desperate attempt to find an exit from this hellhole. His… fuck, these weren’t even his friends. These were some twisted version that scared the living shit out of Richie.

“What the fuck is wrong with you guys? Th-This isn’t you guys!” Richie felt the tears brimming up and clouding his vision, that bright orange light still thrumming above and wanting Richie to look up at it.

Eddie grabbed hold of Richie’s hand and pulled him close, so close that Richie could feel Eddie’s warm breath on his face. Richie whimpered in fear as Eddie pulled him into yet another awkward hug, Richie’s chin resting on Eddie’s shoulder as the shorter boy laced his fingers into his friend’s hair.

“It’s okay, Richie. You’ll be floating soon, and then everything will be okay.” Eddie whispered, his fingers grabbing a fistful of Richie’s hair and yanking his head up towards the ceiling of the cavern.

Richie only saw light after that.


	2. In Another World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jane wakes up in a strange place....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regarding my uploading schedule, I'm going to try and update every week or two. I still got school and work to worry about, so I'll try and give you guys updates within that timeline.
> 
> ANYWHO, ENJOY THIS CHAPTER MY DUDES!!!

_Eleven Jane Eleven Jane_

_(Help them help them hELP THEM)_

_wake up Jane_

Awaking with a sharp gasp, Jane shot up in the darkness and shifted around awkwardly as her legs lay in a cool liquid soaking through her sleeping shorts. Brushing her curls behind her ears, Jane pushed herself up from the ground and shivered as the liquid dripped down her legs and into the puddle pooled at Jane’s feet.

_something’s very wrong_

Squinting her eyes, Jane strained her vision into the dark abyss that lay in front of her and hoped that she wasn’t back in the place. Jane had only gone there a few times by accident, but she had very good control of not wandering into other dimensions in her sleep. Jane swallowed the lump in her throat and took a small step forward, the liquid dripping and echoing in the void.

“Hello?”

_join the circus jane_

_we all float down here_

Jane waited for a reply, scanning her surroundings carefully for anything that was strange, anything that would explain the fear that sat in her stomach and seemed to make it harder to breathe. Taking another step forward, Jane froze in her steps as she caught sight of two figures in the corner of her eye.

Sitting there were two strangely dressed people who were around Jane’s size, maybe they were kids? They wore grey and white and red, puffy clothes and it seemed the shorter haired one was comforting the other, who was shaking as if afraid. Jane gulped and turned towards them, stepping forward as carefully as possible.

The short haired one was mumbling, but Jane couldn’t make out what they were saying. Jane observed the two for a moment before advancing forward once again, her breathing seemingly amplified and the dripping growing louder, echoing through the void.

“..ichie… you’re okay… with us now…” 

“...scared…” 

Jane stopped in her tracks, the fear in her stomach nauseating at this point and twisting knots in her gut. The muttering conversation continued between the two of them, Jane’s ears no longer straining to hear the conversation as her heartbeat was thrumming in her ears and the blood pumping through her veins. 

“...dad, what’s wrong?” 

Jane’s hands were shaking as the two people turned around and looked directly at her, both of their eyes were a sickly yellow and faces pale as snow. Jane gasped and stumbled back only to hit something large behind her. Whimpering in fear, Jane turned around slowly and was met with the looming figure of a clown, the same yellow eyes and face paint grinning down at Jane.

“Little girls shouldn’t stick their noses where they don’t belong.” 

Jane shrieked as the clown reached down to her, but it never put its hands on she was jolted awake by someone and slammed her forehead right into their jaw. Panting heavily, Jane’s fingers fisted around the blanket as the slick sweat covered her entire body. Tears began to well up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

“Hey, El! El! It’s me! It’s Mike!” 

Jane looked up and was met with the face of her boyfriend, blood trickling down his chin as he held her shoulders firmly. Jane’s lower lip quivered as she stared back into Mike’s concerned eyes.

“M-Mike?” Jane whispered, choking down a sob as she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Mike, holding onto him like a lifeline and making sure he was real. Jane nuzzled her face into Mike’s neck, the tears soaking through his shirt as she cried into him for comfort.

“What happened? You were thrashing around like crazy, El.” Mike said, rubbing soothing circles on Jane’s back as she continued to sob. Sniffling, Jane pulled away slowly and looked up at Mike with glassy eyes.

“I saw a clown… and two boys… the clown tried to get me.” Jane said, wiping the snot from her nose onto her pyjama shirt and shivered, wrapping her arms around her body. Mike leaned forward and hugged his girlfriend again, the action being something Jane wished she had her entire life.

A soft knock interrupted the two of them, Mike smiled sheepishly at Jane as he pulled away and got up out of bed. Twisting the door knob, Mike was met with the figure of his mom wrapped in a bathrobe and her eyebrows knit in concern. 

“Is everything alright?” Karen asked, leaning into the room to look at Jane. She hadn’t known Mike’s girlfriend for very long, but that mother’s intuition whispered to her that this girl needed all the love in the world and had never known a kind person. 

“Everything’s fine, mom. Jane just had a bad dream.” Said Mike, Karen biting her lip nervously before nodding and walking away from the room.

Karen was wide awake now. Ever since Mike was born, her body had just gotten used to waking up at ungodly hours in the morning and staying awake, which was something that Karen hated and wish she could kick.

Wandering down the stairs, Karen wrapped her arms around her chest and glanced towards the digital clock in the living room, deciding it was acceptable to make a pot of coffee now. The blue morning light shone through the thin lace curtains, offering little light but enough that Karen could get her bearings.

As Karen wandered into the kitchen, she yelped as the sound of the telephone hanging on the wall rang. Who the hell was calling this early in the morning?

Karen picked it up and sighed heavily. “Whatever you’re selling, I don’t-” 

“Karen! Please don’t hang up, it’s Maggie!” 

Karen’s eyes widened in shock. “Maggie? What are you doing calling this early in the morning?”

Maggie sniffled on the line. “My boy… Karen! Richie’s gone missing!” 

“Oh my god!” Karen exclaimed, her heart shattering as she heard her sister let out a choked sob. “Maggie, what happened? How?” 

“I don’t know, Kare! H-He just didn’t come home yesterday after school! Said he was going to look for his friends because they went missing and he’s just been so upset, so I couldn’t say no! B-but I told him to be back by seven o’clock! That was last night and he hasn’t come home!” 

Karen wanted to cry with her sister, but she had to keep it together for Maggie. “Mags, hey. Are you sure he-” 

“He didn’t just run off! He doesn’t have any other friends and he hasn’t been the same since his friends had been picked off! Kare, I’m scared that one of the kids found out and dumped him in the Barrens!”

“Found out about what, Mags?” Karen asked, Maggie letting out another wail of pure agony.

“That he’s queer! H-he told us a year ago and you know what it’s like in a small town! Remember when you told me you liked Joyce?” 

Karen bit her lip. She remembered crying in her sister’s arms as she confessed of how she felt about the now Joyce Byers, but it wasn’t ever brought up again. “Okay, yeah that’d put him at risk. Um, Jesus Christ, Mags.” 

Maggie’s breath stuttered over the phone. “I-I need to go help Went look for him. I am not letting him just be another poster, Kare. I’ll call you later and tell you what happens.” 

“Good luck, Mags. I love you.” 

“I love you too, Kare.” 

The line clicked. Karen let out a heavy sigh and ran her hand over her face.

“Kids, I need you downstairs!” 

Nancy groaned as her mother’s voice roused her from sleep. She’d been out late with Jonathan and Steve again, relishing the time the three of them had together now that it was summer, but she suffered the consequences every morning with a pounding headache from the lack of sleep. Whatever her mom had to say, it could wait.

“Nancy and Michael, downstairs!” 

Nancy groaned once more and reluctantly pushed herself up from the warmth of her bed, the springs creaking under the weight. Swinging her legs over the bed, Nancy got up and squinted at the morning light shining through her curtains. God, what could her mom want this early in the morning?

Nancy twisted the knob and saw Mike thumping down the stairs already. Nancy snorted at how much he looked like a zombie in the morning and followed after him at an equally sluggish pace.

In the living room, her mom was sat on the leather recliner with a serious expression on her face. Dark circles were visible under her eyes and the smell of coffee wasn’t in the air, so Nancy was extremely confused because her mom always had a pot on by the time everyone woke up.

“Sorry to wake you two up so early.” Said her mom, smiling softly at her two kids. “I know it’s summer, but this is very important.” 

Mike yawned loudly, not bothering to cover his mouth as he flopped on the couch and Nancy joined her lanky brother. Rolling her eyes, Nancy looked at her mom and smiled.

“Uh, what’s up mom?” Nancy asked, figuring this must be another conversation about boundaries and respecting the rules of the house so everyone can feel comfortable. God, those conversations were awkward as fuck.

“You two remember your Auntie Maggie, right? My sister from Derry?” Her mom asked, Nancy furrowing her eyebrows in confusion before giving a nod of affirmation. “Well, her son, you cousin, Richie… Maggie just called and let me know that he’s gone missing.” 

Both of them shot up in surprise, exclaiming a simultaneous: “What?”

Her mom exhaled shakily. “Yes, he’s gone missing. Now, I know he lives in an entirely different town, but you kids have a knack at finding lost things… and lost people. So just… keep an eye or ear out, please.” 

Her mom then got up and walked into the kitchen, leaving a stunned Nancy and Mike in the dimly lit living room. Nancy barely remembers her cousin, meeting him a handful of times at a young age and remembering that he was around the same age as Mike. She remembers that they looked oddly similar, but didn’t exactly get along.

“What happened?”

The siblings turned around and saw Jane sitting on the bottom step of the stairs, her expression one of confusion. Mike opened his mouth to reply before closing it, looking a little ridiculous in the process but Nancy didn’t mention it.

“Uh, one of our family members has gone missing.” Nancy said, Jane nodding in understanding before standing up and walking back upstairs.

What a fucking morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and feedback is always appreciated!!!
> 
> Freak out with me and receive updates on my tumblr

**Author's Note:**

> Drop some feedback and kudos if ya can!! Thank you for reading!!!


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